Nutrient formulation and process for feeding young poultry and other animals

Abstract

A nutrient formulation including moisture which is designed for use in poultry and other animals, and a method of feeding it which improves subsequent livability, cumulative feed efficiency and weight gain is disclosed. The method comprises making available for consumption ad libitum a high moisture material containing at least about 20% by weight water to the poultry or other animals before they are offered dry food ad libitum.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A process for enhancing the health, livability, cumulative weight gain, or feed conversion efficiency of poultry, comprising making available to poultry hatchlings for consumption ad libitum a high moisture material before said poultry hatchlings are offered dry food ad libitum, the high moisture material comprising water and a dry matter fraction, wherein said high moisture material contains, on a percent weight basis of the total composition: at least about 20% water;   about 8.5% to about 18.5% carbohydrate;   about 6.5% to about 15.77% amino acid source; and   0% to about 4.44% fat,   wherein the water retention capacity of said high moisture material is such that it does not release free water in an amount sufficient to dampen said poultry hatchlings as a consequence of their coming into contact with it.     
     
     
       2. The process of claim 1, wherein said high moisture material contains at least about 40% by weight water. 
     
     
       3. The process of claim 1, wherein said high moisture material contains at least about 50% by weight water. 
     
     
       4. The process of claim 1, wherein said high moisture material contains between about 50% and about 85% by weight water. 
     
     
       5. The process of claim 1, wherein said high moisture material contains between about 60% and about 80% by weight water. 
     
     
       6. The process of claim 1, wherein said carbohydrate is selected from the group consisting of corn starch, wheat starch, modified corn starch, a gum, whole, ground, cracked, milled, rolled, extruded, pelleted, defatted, dehydrated, solvent extracted, or other processed form of corn or wheat, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       7. The process of claim 6, wherein said gum is selected from the group consisting of agar, algin, carrageenan, gum arabic, gum ghatti, gum tragacanth, guar gum, locust bean gum, and pectin. 
     
     
       8. The process of claim 1, wherein said amino acid source is selected from the group consisting of methionine, tryptophan, threonine, arginine, lysine, 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butanoic acid, a salt of 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butanoic acid, serum proteins, casein, soybean meal, fishmeal, meat meal, egg white, egg yolk, eggs without shells, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       9. The process of claim 1, wherein said fat is an isolated plant oil. 
     
     
       10. The process of claim 1, wherein: said carbohydrate is selected from the group consisting of corn starch, wheat starch, modified corn starch, a gum, whole, ground, cracked, milled, rolled, extruded, pelleted, defatted, dehydrated, solvent extracted, or other processed form of corn or wheat, and mixtures thereof;   said amino acid source is selected from the group consisting of methionine, tryptophan, threonine, arginine, lysine, 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butanoic acid, a salt of 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butanoic acid, serum proteins, casein, soybean meal, fishmeal, meat meal, egg white, egg yolk, eggs without shells, and mixtures thereof; and   said fat is an isolated plant oil.   
     
     
       11. The process of claim 10, wherein said high moisture material contains between about 60% and about 80% by weight water. 
     
     
       12. The process of claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of all digestible carbohydrate to all amino acid sources in said high moisture material is between about 0.6:1 and about 3:1, respectively. 
     
     
       13. The process of claim 11, wherein the weight ratio of all digestible carbohydrate to all amino acid sources in said high moisture material is between about 0.6:1 and about 3:1, respectively. 
     
     
       14. The process of claim 1, wherein the dry matter fraction of said high moisture material further contains between about 0.1% and about 10% by weight of an additive selected from the group consisting of a vitamin, a mineral, an enzyme co-factor, a growth promoter, a receptor, a transfer factor, a chelator, a complexing agent, a palatability modifier, a digestion aid, a peptide, a hormone, a prostaglandin, a steroid, an antibiotic, an antioxidant, an immunoactive agent, a direct fed microbial, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       15. The process of claim 14, wherein said digestion aid is selected from the group consisting of an enzyme, a bile salt, cholesterol, a micelle, a surfactant, and an emulsifying agent. 
     
     
       16. The process of claim 15, wherein said enzyme is selected from the group consisting of a gastrointestinal system enzyme, keratinase, and a mixture thereof. 
     
     
       17. The process of claim 16, wherein said gastrointestinal system enzyme is selected from the group consisting of a lipase, an amylase, a maltase, pepsin, and trypsin. 
     
     
       18. The process of claim 14, wherein said digestion aid is present in an amount between about 0.01% and about 5% by weight of the dry matter fraction of said high moisture material. 
     
     
       19. The process of claim 14, wherein said direct fed microbial is selected from the group consisting of bacteria, yeast, molds, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       20. The process of claim 19, wherein said bacteria are members of genera selected from the group consisting of Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Enterococcus, Bacillus and Streptococcus. 
     
     
       21. The process of claim 20, wherein: said members of the genus Lactobacillus are selected from the group consisting of Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus casei, and Lactobacillus lactis;   said members of the genus Lactococcus are selected from the group consisting of Lactococcus lactis, Lactococcus thermophilus, and Lactococcus diacetylactis;   said Enterococcus is Enterococcus faecium;   said members of the genus Bacillus are selected from the group consisting of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus toyoi; and   said Streptococcus is Streptococcus faecium.   
     
     
       22. The process of claim 19, wherein said yeast or mold is selected from the group consisting of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Aspergillus oryzae, and Torulopsis spp. 
     
     
       23. The process of claim 19, wherein: said bacteria are present in an amount of at least about 10 2  colony forming units per gram of said high moisture material; and   said yeast is present in an amount of at least about 10 colony forming units per gram of said high moisture material.   
     
     
       24. The process of claim 14, wherein: said immunoactive agent is an immunomodulator;   said peptide is selected from the group consisting of epidermal growth factor, transforming growth factor, granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor, erythropoietin, bombesin, fibroblast growth factor, keratinocyte growth factor, nerve growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, and insulin-like growth factor;   said steroid is a glucocorticoid steroid;   said hormone is selected from the group consisting of an estrogen, insulin, glucagon, gastrin, calcitonin, and somatotropin;   said antibiotic is selected from the group consisting of bacitracin, bacitracin methylenedisalicylate, lincomycin, and virginiamycin;   said antioxidant is selected from the group consisting of ethoxyquin, tocopherol, butylated hydroxytoluene, butylated hydroxyanisole, vitamin C, and glutathione; and   said palatability modifier is selected from the group consisting of food coloring, grit, oyster shell, whole seeds, and grains.   
     
     
       25. The process of claim 24, wherein said immunomodulator is selected from the group consisting of a cytokine, a vaccine, an immunoglobulin, an antigen, a killed cell, an attenuated strain, a toxin, and an adjuvant. 
     
     
       26. The process of claim 1, wherein said high moisture material retains substantially all of its water under the conditions in which it is provided to said poultry hatchlings. 
     
     
       27. The process of claim 1, wherein said high moisture material retains at least 80% of its water when exposed to a temperature of 80° C. and a relative humidity of 70% for 24 hours. 
     
     
       28. The process of claim 1, wherein said high moisture material is in the form of an extrudate. 
     
     
       29. The process of claim 1, wherein said making available to said poultry for consumption ad libitum said high moisture material is performed by a process selected from the group consisting of: placing said high moisture material in an incubator along with poultry eggs, thereby making said high moisture material available to said poultry hatchlings upon hatching;   providing said high moisture material to said poultry hatchlings prior to placing said poultry hatchlings in a container for shipment to a poultry farm;   placing said high moisture material along with said poultry hatchlings in a container for shipment of said poultry hatchlings to a poultry farm; and   providing said high moisture material to said poultry hatchlings after they have been shipped from the site where they were hatched to a remote location.   
     
     
       30. The process of claim 1, wherein said making available for consumption ad libitum said high moisture material is performed by placing said high moisture material in an incubator along with poultry eggs, thereby making said high moisture material available to said poultry hatchlings upon hatching. 
     
     
       31. The process of claim 1, wherein said making available for consumption ad libitum said high moisture material is performed by providing said high moisture material to said poultry hatchlings prior to placing said poultry hatchlings in a container for shipment to a poultry farm. 
     
     
       32. The process of claim 1, wherein said making available for consumption ad libitum said high moisture material is performed by placing said high moisture material along with said poultry hatchlings in a container for shipment of said poultry hatchlings to a poultry farm. 
     
     
       33. The process of claim 1, wherein said poultry hatchlings are chicken hatchlings. 
     
     
       34. The process of claim 1, wherein said poultry hatchlings are within seven days after hatching. 
     
     
       35. The process of claim 1, wherein said high moisture material contains, on a percent weight basis of the total composition: at least about 20% water;   about 11.45% to about 16.45% of said carbohydrate;   about 8.65% to about 13.85% of said amino acid source; and   0% to about 1.67% of said fat.   
     
     
       36. The process of claim 35, wherein: said carbohydrate is selected from the group consisting of corn starch, wheat starch, modified corn starch, a gum, whole, ground, cracked, milled, rolled, extruded, pelleted, defatted, dehydrated, solvent extracted, or other processed form of corn or wheat, and mixtures thereof;   said amino acid source is selected from the group consisting of methionine, tryptophan, threonine, arginine, lysine, 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butanoic acid, a salt of 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butanoic acid, serum proteins, casein, soybean meal, fishmeal, meat meal, egg white, egg yolk, eggs without shells, and mixtures thereof; and   said fat is an isolated plant oil.   
     
     
       37. The process of claim 36, wherein said gum is selected from the group consisting of agar, algin, carrageenan, gum arabic, gum ghatti, gum tragacanth, guar gum, locust bean gum, and pectin. 
     
     
       38. The process of claim 36, wherein said high moisture material contains between about 60% and about 80% by weight water. 
     
     
       39. The process of claim 38, wherein the weight ratio of all digestible carbohydrate to all amino acid sources in said high moisture material is between about 0.6:1 and about 3:1, respectively. 
     
     
       40. The process of claim 35, wherein the dry matter fraction of said high moisture material further contains between about 0.1% and about 10% by weight of an additive selected from the group consisting of a vitamin, a mineral, an enzyme co-factor, a growth promoter, a receptor, a transfer factor, a chelator, a complexing agent, a palatability modifier, a digestion aid, a peptide, a hormone, a prostaglandin, a steroid, an antibiotic, an antioxidant, an immunoactive agent, a direct fed microbial, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       41. The process of claim 35, wherein said high moisture material is in the form of an extrudate. 
     
     
       42. A process for enhancing the health, livability, cumulative weight gain, or feed conversion efficiency of poultry or other animals, comprising making available for consumption ad libitum to poultry hatchlings or other animals a high moisture material comprising water and dry matter, wherein said high moisture material contains, on a percent weight basis of the total composition: about 60% to about 80% water;   about 8.5% to about 18.5% carbohydrate comprising corn meal and corn starch; and   about 6.5% to about 15.77% amino acid source comprising soybean meal and egg white or whole eggs without shells,   before said poultry hatchlings or other animals are offered dry food ad libitum.     
     
     
       43. The process of claim 42, wherein said making available for consumption ad libitum to poultry hatchlings said said high moisture material is performed by placing said high moisture material along with said poultry hatchlings in a container for shipment of said poultry hatchlings to a poultry farm. 
     
     
       44. A process for enhancing the health, livability, cumulative weight gain, or feed conversion efficiency of poultry or other animals, comprising making available for consumption ad libitum to poultry hatchlings or other animals a high moisture material comprising water and dry matter, wherein said high moisture material contains, on a percent weight basis of the total composition: about 60% to about 80% water;   about 8.5% to about 18.5% carbohydrate comprising corn meal and corn starch; and   about 6.5% to about 15.77% soybean meal,   before said poultry hatchlings or other animals are offered dry food ad libitum.     
     
     
       45. The process of claim 44, wherein said making available for consumption ad libitum to poultry hatchlings said high moisture material is performed by placing said high moisture material along with said poultry hatchlings in a container for shipment of said poultry hatchlings to a poultry farm. 
     
     
       46. A process for enhancing the health, livability, cumulative weight gain, or feed conversion efficiency of poultry or other animals, comprising making available for consumption ad libitum to poultry hatchlings or other animals a high moisture material comprising water and dry matter, wherein said high moisture material contains, on a percent weight basis of the total composition:   about 60% to about 80% water;   about 8.5% to about 18.5% carbohydrate comprising corn meal and corn starch; and   about 6.5% to about 15.77% amino acid source comprising soybean meal and egg white or whole eggs without shells,   before said poultry hatchlings or other animals are offered dry food ad libitum.   
     
     
       47. The process of claim 46, wherein said making available for consumption ad libitum said high moisture material is performed by placing said high moisture material along with said poultry hatchlings in a container for shipment of said poultry hatchlings to a poultry farm. 
     
     
       48. The process of claim 47, wherein said high moisture material further contains a food coloring and an acid stabilizer. 
     
     
       49. The process of claim 48, wherein said acid stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, fumaric acid, propionic acid, and phosphoric acid. 
     
     
       50. The process of claim 44, wherein said high moisture material further contains a food coloring and an acid stabilizer. 
     
     
       51. The process of claim 50, wherein said acid stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, fumaric acid, propionic acid, and phosphoric acid. 
     
     
       52. The process of claim 45, wherein said high moisture material further contains a food coloring and an acid stabilizer. 
     
     
       53. The process of claim 52, wherein said acid stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, fumaric acid, propionic acid, and phosphoric acid. 
     
     
       54. The process of claim 46, wherein said high moisture material further contains a food coloring and an acid stabilizer. 
     
     
       55. The process of claim 54, wherein said acid stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, fumaric acid, propionic acid, and phosphoric acid. 
     
     
       56. A process for enhancing the health, livability, cumulative weight gain, or feed conversion efficiency of poultry, comprising making available to said poultry for consumption ad libitum a high moisture material before said poultry are offered dry food ad libitum, the high moisture material comprising water and a dry matter fraction, wherein said high moisture material contains, on a percent weight basis of the total composition: at least about 20% water;   about 8.5% to about 18.5% carbohydrate;   about 6.5% to about 15.77% amino acid source; and   0% to about 4.44% fat,   wherein the water retention capacity of said high moisture material is such that it does not release free water in an amount sufficient to dampen poultry hatchlings as a consequence of their coming into contact with it, and   wherein said high moisture material is made available to said poultry for consumption ad libitum by extruding said high moisture material to a location where it can be consumed by said poultry or other animals.     
     
     
       57. The process of claim 56, wherein said high moisture material contains between about 50% and about 85% by weight water. 
     
     
       58. The process of claim 56, wherein said high moisture material contains between about 60% and about 80% by weight water. 
     
     
       59. The process of claim 56, wherein: said carbohydrate is selected from the group consisting of corn starch, wheat starch, modified corn starch, a gum, whole, ground, cracked, milled, rolled, extruded, pelleted, defatted, dehydrated, solvent extracted, or other processed form of corn or wheat, and mixtures thereof;   said amino acid source is selected from the group consisting of methionine, tryptophan, threonine, arginine, lysine, 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butanoic acid, a salt of 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butanoic acid, serum proteins, casein, soybean meal, fishmeal, meat meal, egg white, egg yolk, eggs without shells, and mixtures thereof; and   said fat is an isolated plant oil.   
     
     
       60. The process of claim 56, wherein the dry matter fraction of said high moisture material further contains between about 0.1% and about 10% by weight of an additive selected from the group consisting of a vitamin, a mineral, an enzyme co-factor, a growth promoter, a receptor, a transfer factor, a chelator, a complexing agent, a palatability modifier, a digestion aid, a peptide, a hormone, a prostaglandin, a steroid, an antibiotic, an antioxidant, an immunoactive agent, a direct fed microbial, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       61. The process of claim 56, wherein said making available for consumption ad libitum said high moisture material to said poultry is performed by placing said high moisture material along with said poultry hatchlings in a container for shipment of said poultry hatchlings to a poultry farm. 
     
     
       62. A process for enhancing the health, livability, cumulative weight gain, or feed conversion efficiency of poultry or other animals, comprising making available to said poultry for consumption ad libitum a high moisture material before said poultry are offered dry food ad libitum, the high moisture material comprising water and a dry matter fraction, wherein said high moisture material contains between about 30% and about 90% by weight water and between about 10% and about 70% dry matter based upon the weight of said high moisture material,   wherein said dry matter contains between about 10% and about 90% by weight carbohydrate based upon the weight of said dry matter, and   wherein the water retention capacity of said high moisture material is such that it does not release free water in an amount sufficient to dampen poultry hatchlings as a consequence of their coming into contact with it.   
     
     
       63. A process for enhancing the health, livability, cumulative weight gain, or feed conversion efficiency of poultry or other animals, comprising making available to said poultry or other animals for consumption ad libitum a high moisture material containing, on a percent weight basis of the total composition: 67% water;   22 to 23% carbohydrate;   9-10% amino acid source; and   less than 1% fat,   before said poultry or other animals are offered dry food ad libitum,   wherein the water retention capacity of said high moisture material is such that it does not release free water in an amount sufficient to dampen said poultry as a consequence of their coming into contact with it.   
     
     
       64. The process of claim 63, wherein: said carbohydrate is selected from the group consisting of corn starch, wheat starch, modified corn starch, a gum, whole, ground, cracked, milled, rolled, extruded, pelleted, defatted, dehydrated, solvent extracted, or other processed form of corn or wheat, and mixtures thereof.   
     
     
       65. The process of claim 64, wherein said gum is selected from the group consisting of agar, algin, carrageenan, gum arabic, gum ghatti, gum tragacanth, guar gum, locust bean gum, and pectin. 
     
     
       66. The process of claim 63, wherein: said amino acid source is selected from the group consisting of methionine, tryptophan, threonine, arginine, lysine, 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butanoic acid, a salt of 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butanoic acid, serum proteins, casein, soybean meal, fishmeal, meat meal, egg white, egg yolk, eggs without shells, and mixtures thereof.   
     
     
       67. The process of claim 63, wherein said fat is an isolated plant oil. 
     
     
       68. The process of claim 63, wherein said high moisture material further contains between about 0.1% and about 10% by weight of an additive selected from the group consisting of a vitamin, a mineral, an enzyme co-factor, a growth promoter, a receptor, a transfer factor, a chelator, a complexing agent, a palatability modifier, a digestion aid, a peptide, a hormone, a prostaglandin, a steroid, an antibiotic, an antioxidant, an immunoactive agent, a direct fed microbial, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       69. The process of claim 63, wherein said high moisture material is in the form of an extrudate. 
     
     
       70. The process of claim 63, wherein: said carbohydrate is a mixture of corn meal and corn starch; and   said amino acid source is a mixture of soybean meal and egg white.   
     
     
       71. The process of claim 63, wherein said poultry are turkey poults. 
     
     
       72. The process of claim 71, wherein said turkey poults are one to four days old. 
     
     
       73. The process of claim 63, wherein said making available to said poultry said high moisture material for consumption ad libitum is performed by a process selected from the group consisting of: placing said high moisture material in an incubator along with poultry eggs, thereby making said high moisture material available to said poultry upon hatching;   providing said high moisture material to said poultry prior to placing said poultry in a container for shipment to a poultry farm;   placing said high moisture material along with said poultry in a container for shipment of said poultry to a poultry farm; and   providing said high moisture material to said poultry hatchlings after they have been shipped from the site where they were hatched to a remote location.   
     
     
       74. The process of claim 63, wherein said making available to said poultry said high moisture material for consumption ad libitum is performed by placing said high moisture material along with said poultry in a container for shipment of said poultry to a poultry farm. 
     
     
       75. A process for enhancing the health, livability, cumulative weight gain, or feed conversion efficiency of poultry or other animals, comprising making available to said poultry or other animals for consumption ad libitum a high moisture material containing, on a percent weight basis of the total composition: 67% water;   15% corn meal;   2% corn starch;   12% soybean meal; and   3.6% dehydrated egg white,   before the poultry is offered dry food ad libitum,   wherein the water retention capacity of said high moisture material is such that it does not release free water in an amount sufficient to dampen said poultry as a consequence of their coming into contact with it.   
     
     
       76. The process of claim 75, wherein said high moisture material further contains between about 0.1% and about 10% by weight of an additive selected from the group consisting of a vitamin, a mineral, an enzyme co-factor, a growth promoter, a receptor, a transfer factor, a chelator, a complexing agent, a palatability modifier, a digestion aid, a peptide, a hormone, a prostaglandin, a steroid, an antibiotic, an antioxidant, an immunoactive agent, a direct fed microbial, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       77. The process of claim 75, wherein said high moisture material is in the form of an extrudate. 
     
     
       78. The process of claim 75, wherein said poultry are turkey poults. 
     
     
       79. The process of claim 78, wherein said turkey poults are one to four days old. 
     
     
       80. The process of claim 75, wherein said making available to said poultry said high moisture material for consumption ad libitum is performed by a process selected from the group consisting of: placing said high moisture material in an incubator along with poultry eggs, thereby making said high moisture material available to said poultry upon hatching;   providing said high moisture material to said poultry prior to placing said poultry in a container for shipment to a poultry farm;   placing said high moisture material along with said poultry in a container for shipment of said poultry to a poultry farm; and   providing said high moisture material to said poultry hatchlings after they have been shipped from the site where they were hatched to a remote location.   
     
     
       81. The process of claim 80, wherein said making available to said poultry said high moisture material for consumption ad libitum is performed by placing said high moisture material along with said poultry in a container for shipment of said poultry to a poultry farm. 
     
     
       82. A process for enhancing the health, livability, cumulative weight gain, or feed conversion efficiency of poultry or other animals, comprising making available for consumption ad libitum a high moisture material to the poultry or other animals before the poultry or other animals are allowed to eat dry food ad libitum, the high moisture material containing between about 30% and about 90% by weight water and between about 10% and about 70% dry matter based upon the weight of the high moisture material, wherein the dry matter contains at least about 10% by weight carbohydrate and between about 15% and about 50% by weight of an amino acid source based on the weight of the dry matter, and   wherein the water retention capacity of said high moisture material is such that it does not release free water in an amount sufficient to dampen poultry hatchlings as a consequence of their coming into contact with it.   
     
     
       83. The process of claim 82, wherein: said carbohydrate is selected from the group consisting of corn starch, wheat starch, modified corn starch, a gum, whole, ground, cracked, milled, rolled, extruded, pelleted, defatted, dehydrated, solvent extracted, or other processed form of corn or wheat, and mixtures thereof; and   said amino acid source is selected from the group consisting of methionine, tryptophan, threonine, arginine, lysine, 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butanoic acid, a salt of 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butanoic acid, serum proteins, casein, soybean meal, fishmeal, meat meal, egg white, egg yolk, eggs without shells, and mixtures thereof.   
     
     
       84. The process of claim 82, wherein: said carbohydrate is selected from the group consisting of corn starch, wheat starch, modified corn starch, a gum, whole, ground, cracked, milled, rolled, extruded, pelleted, defatted, dehydrated, solvent extracted, or other processed form of corn or wheat, and mixtures thereof; and   said amino acid source is selected from the group consisting of serum proteins, plasma, meat meal, casein, milk, blood, whey, bloodmeal, egg offal, egg white, egg yolk, eggs without shells, wheat protein, wheat germ, gluten, hydrolysates of serum proteins, hydrolysates of whey, hydrolysates of blood meal, hydrolysates of blood, hydrolysates of egg offal, hydrolysates of egg white, hydrolysates of egg yolk, hydrolysates of eggs without shells, and mixtures thereof.   
     
     
       85. A process for enhancing the health, livability, cumulative weight gain, or feed conversion efficiency of poultry or other animals, comprising making available to said poultry or other animals for consumption ad libitum a high moisture material before said poultry or other animals are offered dry food ad libitum, the high moisture material comprising water and a dry matter fraction, wherein said high moisture material contains, on a percent weight basis of the total composition:   at least about 20% water;   about 8.5% to about 18.5% carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of corn starch, wheat starch, modified corn starch, a gum, whole, ground, cracked, milled, rolled, extruded, pelleted, defatted, dehydrated, solvent extracted, or other processed form of corn or wheat, and mixtures thereof;   about 6.5% to about 15.77% amino acid source selected from the group consisting of serum proteins, plasma, meat meal, casein, milk, blood, whey, bloodmeal, egg offal, egg white, egg yolk, eggs without shells, wheat protein, wheat germ, gluten, hydrolysates of serum proteins, hydrolysates of whey, hydrolysates of blood meal, hydrolysates of blood, hydrolysates of egg offal, hydrolysates of egg white, hydrolysates of egg yolk, hydrolysates of eggs without shells, and mixtures thereof; and   0% to about 4.44% fat,   wherein the water retention capacity of said high moisture material is such that it does not release free water in an amount sufficient to dampen poultry hatchlings as a consequence of their coming into contact with it.   
     
     
       86. The process of claim 85, wherein said high moisture material contains between about 60% and about 80% by weight water. 
     
     
       87. A process for enhancing the health, livability, cumulative weight gain, or feed conversion efficiency of poultry or other animals, comprising making available for consumption ad libitum to poultry hatchlings or other animals a high moisture material comprising water and dry matter, wherein said high moisture material contains, on a percent weight basis of the total composition:   about 60% to about 80% water;   about 8.5% to about 18.5% carbohydrate comprising corn meal and corn starch;   about 6.5% to about 15.77% soybean meal;   a food coloring; and   an acid stabilizer selected from the group consisting of citric acid, fumaric acid, propionic acid, and phosphoric acid,   before said poultry hatchlings or other animals are offered dry food ad libitum,   wherein said making available for consumption ad libitum to poultry hatchlings said high moisture material is performed by placing said high moisture material along with said poultry hatchlings in a container for shipment of said poultry hatchlings to a poultry farm.   
     
     
       88. A process for enhancing the health, livability, cumulative weight gain, or feed conversion efficiency of poultry or other animals, comprising making available for consumption ad libitum to poultry hatchlings or other animals a high moisture material comprising water and dry matter, wherein said high moisture material contains, on a percent weight basis of the total composition:   about 60% to about 80% water;   about 8.5% to about 18.5% carbohydrate comprising corn meal and corn starch;   about 6.5% to about 15.77% amino acid source comprising soybean meal and egg white or whole eggs without shells;   a food coloring; and   an acid stabilizer selected from the group consisting of citric acid, fumaric acid, propionic acid, and phosphoric acid,   before said poultry hatchlings or other animals are offered dry food ad libitum,   wherein said making available for consumption ad libitum to poultry hatchlings said high moisture material is performed by placing said high moisture material along with said poultry hatchlings in a container for shipment of said poultry hatchlings to a poultry farm.   
     
     
       89. A process for enhancing the health, livability, cumulative weight gain or feed conversion efficiency of poultry, the process comprising making available to poultry hatchlings for consumption ad libitum a high moisture material containing at least about 40% by weight water and at least about 8% by weight of a digestible carbohydrate before the poultry is offered dry food ad libitum, the high moisture material having a capacity for water-retention which is characterized by the absence of the release of free water from the high moisture material in an amount sufficient to dampen the hatchlings as a consequence of their coming into contact with and consuming it. 
     
     
       90. The process of claim 89 wherein the digestible carbohydrate comprises a complex carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of corn, rice, oats, barley, wheat, sorghum, rye, millet, cassava, triticale and tapioca or an isolated carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of corn, potato, wheat and rice starches. 
     
     
       91. The process of claim 89 wherein the digestible carbohydrate comprises a complex carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of corn and rice, or an isolated carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of corn and rice starches. 
     
     
       92. The process of claim 91 wherein the high moisture material is an extrudate. 
     
     
       93. The process of claim 89 wherein the high moisture material is an extrudate. 
     
     
       94. The process of claim 89 wherein the high moisture material comprises at least about 7% by weight of an amino acid source. 
     
     
       95. The process of claim 94 wherein the digestible carbohydrate comprises a complex carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of corn, rice, oats, barley, wheat, sorghum, rye, millet, cassava, triticale and tapioca or an isolated carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of corn, potato, wheat and rice starches. 
     
     
       96. The process of claim 94 wherein the digestible carbohydrate comprises a complex carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of corn and rice, or an isolated carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of corn and rice starches. 
     
     
       97. The process of claim 94 wherein the high moisture material is an extrudate. 
     
     
       98. The process of claim 94 wherein the amino acid source comprises soybean meal, isolated soybean protein, wheat protein, wheat germ, distillers grains, gluten, milk, blood, whey, blood meal, meatmeal, feathermeal, fishmeal, meat and bone meal, poultry offal, egg offal, egg white, egg yolk or eggs without shells. 
     
     
       99. The process of claim 98 wherein the digestible carbohydrate comprises a complex carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of corn, rice, oats, barley, wheat, sorghum, rye, millet, cassava, triticale and tapioca or an isolated carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of corn, potato, wheat and rice starches. 
     
     
       100. The process of claim 98 wherein the digestible carbohydrate comprises a complex carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of corn and rice, or an isolated carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of corn and rice starches. 
     
     
       101. The process of claim 100 wherein the high moisture material is an extrudate. 
     
     
       102. The process of claim 94 wherein the amino acid source comprises soybean meal, isolated soybean protein, wheat protein, wheat germ, egg white, egg yolk or eggs without shells. 
     
     
       103. The process of claim 102 wherein the digestible carbohydrate comprises a complex carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of corn, rice, oats, barley, wheat, sorghum, rye, millet, cassava, triticale and tapioca or an isolated carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of corn, potato, wheat and rice starches. 
     
     
       104. The process of claim 102 wherein the digestible carbohydrate comprises a complex carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of corn and rice, or an isolated carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of corn and rice starches. 
     
     
       105. The process of claim 104 wherein the high moisture material is an extrudate. 
     
     
       106. The process of claim 89 wherein the high moisture material comprises at least about 20% by weight carbohydrate. 
     
     
       107. The process of claim 106 wherein the digestible carbohydrate comprises a complex carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of corn, rice, oats, barley, wheat, sorghum, rye, millet, cassava, triticale and tapioca or an isolated carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of corn, potato, wheat and rice starches. 
     
     
       108. The process of claim 106 wherein the digestible carbohydrate comprises a complex carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of corn and rice, or an isolated carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of corn and rice starches. 
     
     
       109. The process of claim 106 wherein the high moisture material is an extrudate. 
     
     
       110. The process of claim 106 wherein the high moisture material comprises at least about 7% by weight of an amino acid source. 
     
     
       111. The process of claim 110 wherein the digestible carbohydrate comprises a complex carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of corn, rice, oats, barley, wheat, sorghum, rye, millet, cassava, triticale and tapioca or an isolated carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of corn, potato, wheat and rice starches. 
     
     
       112. The process of claim 111 wherein the digestible carbohydrate comprises a complex carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of corn and rice, or an isolated carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of corn and rice starches. 
     
     
       113. The process of claim 112 wherein the high moisture material is an extrudate.